Hospital bed gown



Feb. 14, 1950 E. K. DOUGHTY 2,497,764

HOSPITAL BED Gown Filed June 6, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVEN TOR. EZLE/V K 0000/17) Feb. 14, 1950 E. K. DOUGHTY HOSPITAL BED GOWN 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 6, 19 47 INVENTOR. a LEN ff- 00 67/ T 2 Feb. 14, 1950 E. K. DOUGHTY HOSPITAL BED GOWN 5 $heets-Sheet 5 Filed June 6, 1947 INVENTOR. 511 m /r. 0000/11) Feb. M, 1950 E. K. DOUGHTY HOSPITAL BED sown 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 6, 1947 v INVENTOR. EZlE/V ff. 00003977 Feb, 14, 1950 E. K. DOUGHTY uos xw. BED GOWN 5 Shets-Sheet 5 Filed June 6, 194'? Patented Feb. 14, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HOSPITAL BED GOWN Ellen K. Doughty Allentown, Pa.

Application June 6, 1947, Serial No. 752,963

patients occupying wheel chairs as well as those in bed.

One object of the invention is to provide a garment of the gown or shirt type which opens along the back and of such formation that after it has been put on a person it may be secured and held about the persons body in full covering relation to the shoulders and upper portion of the body.

Another object of the invention is to provide a garment of this type so formed that while the upper portions of rear sections of the garment will be held overlapped when the garment is worn, the remainder of the rear edges of the rear sections will be free and spaced from each other when the wearer is seated or in reclining position. It will thus be seen that pull will not be exerted upon lower portions of the garment by a person lying upon them and also bed service may be very easily accomplished and also the garment will not be liable to become soiled.

Another object of the invention is to so form the overlapping upper portions of the rear sections of the garment that they may be secured along their upper edges and thus effect a smooth surface across the back of the shoulders and eliminate seams and knots.

Another object of the invention is to provide a b'edgarment so formed that when it is worn and viewed from the front it has the appearance of a night gown, bed Jacket, or shirt and is attractive in appearance as well as serving to completely cover the arms and shoulders and thus prevent aperson from catching cold due to exposure of upper portions of the body while wearing the arment.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bed garment with sleeves having inserts in the arm pit so formed and so mountedthat the arms may be raised or otherwise moved without bind-.

ing action or pull caused by a person resting upon portions of the garment while in a bed or wheel chair.

Another object of the invention is to so form and mount the insert that it will extend smoothly in the under portion of the upper end of the sleeve and have a tendency to return to its normal posi- I tion in the sleeve after a patient wearing the garment. has raised his arms and then lowered them.

By so forming and mounting theinserts they will,

at all times be smooth and comfortable during use of the improved garment.

Another object of the invention is to provide a garment having its sleeves, if fulllength, pro- 5 vided at their lower or free ends with tapes by means of which they can be secured about the wrists and held in snug fitting engagement with the wrists.

With these and other objects in view the improved garment consists of a special construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the ac-' Fig. 5 is a perspective view looking at the back of the garment.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing the insert for the sleeve of the improved garment. Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken longitudinally of the sleeve and also showing the insert and a portion of the body of the garment in section.

Fig.8 is a front view of a modified form of bed garment for use by female patients.

Fig. 9 is a view looking at the back of the garnient shown in Figure 8.

Fig. 10 is a rear view of the modified form of' garment showing a rear section thereof swung to an opened position.

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary perspective view show-v ing both rear sections of the modified form of garment swung to the opened position.

Fig. '12 is a perspective view of the forward porf tion of the sleeve of the modified form of garment.

Fig. 13 is a front view of another form of garment for use by female patients.

Fig. 14 is a rear view of the modified form of garment shown in Figure 13.

garment illustrated in Figures 1 through 7 is intended for use by male patients and has a body I consisting of a front section 2' and rear sections 3. The front section is slit from its upper end midway its width to form a front opening 4 leading from the neck opening 5 and about the neck opening is a collar 6. The front opening may be left open, as shown in Figure 1 and closed, as

ooshownin Figure 3, and a neck tie worn so that Fig. '2 is a rear view of the garment shown in This improved hospital bed garment is for use bypatients' confined to a bed or wheel chair. The

the patient appears to be wearing a shirt of conventional form while occupying a wheel chair or sitting up in bed.

The rear sections are free from each other and have their upper ends sewed to the front section at opposite sides of the neck opening by shoulder seams and their front side edges sewed to side edges of the front section by side seams extending from the sleeve openings to the lower edge of the garment. The rear sections may fall closed when patient is standing, or may have lower portions of their rear side edges spaced from each other to provide the garment with a rear opening extending for an appreciable distance from its lower edge and the upper portions of the rear sections are extended transversel to form substantially triangular extensions or flaps B which are overlapped, as shown in Figure 2 and very effectively close the upper portion of the garment at the rear across the shoulders. Tapes 9 and ID are sewed into the shoulder seams in spaced relation to each other longitudinally thereof, the tapes 9 being located near the collar and the tapes l near outer ends of the shoulder seams. It should be noted that the tapes sewed to one shoulder seam extend inwardly of the garment while the tapes of the other shoulder seam extend outwardly from the garment, this being clearly shown in Figure 5. By so arranging the tapes 9 and ID, the tapes H and I2 of one rear section may be tied by bow knots to the tapes projecting inwardly from the garment and the flap of the other rear section then drawn transversely of the garment into overlapping relation to the flap and the upper portion of the first rear section and its tapes II and I2 tied with bow knots to the outwardly extending tapes of the second shoulder seam, or for a patient capable of helping himself, shoulder edges of overlapping rear sections may be inserted in shoulder seams eliminating the need for ties. The flaps and upper portions of the back sections are held smooth and prevented from moving out of a closed position and when a patient wearing the garment is sitting up in bed or in a wheel chair there will be no danger of catching cold. When the front section is open at the top, as shown in Figure 1, it has the appearance of being a sport shirt and when it is buttoned, as shown in Figure 3 and a necktie applied the garment has the appearance of a more formal type of shirt. The pocket i3 is provided to hold a handkerchief.

The sleeves I4, which may be short, or be full length, are provided with cuifs iii of conventional formation. At their upper ends the sleeves have the upper portions of their end edges sewed to edges of the sleeve openings and their lower portions free from the sleeve openings. Inserts [6 which are formed from sheets of fabric folded back upon themselves extend into under portions of upper ends of the sleeves and have end edges,

of their upper and lower plies or folds sewed to lower or under edge portions of the arm hole and the sleeve. It will thus be seen that the inserts serve as closures for the arm pit portions of the garment and these inserts or fillers will serve as gussets and allow the patient to freely raise and;

lower his arms or otherwise move them with swinging movements without tearing the under portions of the sleeves from the shirt or causing binding action which would be uncomfortable to the person wearing the garment. Opposite side portions of the inserts or gussets are sewedv to front and rear portions of the sleeves by lines of stitching I! which extend longitudinally of oated along the shoulder seams and a person wearing the garment will not lie upon the knots when in a reclining position. The fact that the tapes are tied together at the shoulders also allows an attendant to easily apply the garment to a patient and tie the companion tapes together.

v For patients able to help themselves shoulder edges of overlapping rear sections may be inserted in shoulder seams, eleminating need for ties, in which case the patient may put the garment on by passing his head through the neck opening and thrusting his arms through the sleeves. The fact that the rear side edges of the rear sections are spaced from each other below the flaps causes the garment to have a vertically or longitudinally extending opening or gap at the The bed garment illustrated in Figures 8- through I2 is primarily intended for use by ladies but is not restricted to such use. This garment has a body I8 consisting of a front section 19 and a rear section 243 sewed to each other by seams along opposite sides of the body between its lower edge and the lower ends of arm holes of the body.-

These arm holes '2! extend diagonally with their upper ends terminating at opposite sides of the neck opening 22 and the sleeves 23 have their upper ends cut diagonally to conform to the angle of the arm openings and sewed along opposite side edges to the front and rear sections along edges thereof which define the arm holes. An ornamental yoke 24 may be provided at the top of the front section or this may be omitted if so desired. The upper ends of the sleeves are interposed between portions of the front and rear sections at opposite sides of the neck opening and about the neck opening is sewed a binding or facing 25 which very effectively prevents the narrow upper ends of the sleeves from being torn loose from the front and rear sections.

Into the seams 26 which extend longitudinally of the narrow upper end portions of the sleeves, and cause the sleeves to fit snugly about a persons shoulders are secured tapes 21, and upon referring to Figure 11 it will be seenthat the tapes at one sleeve project inwardly of the garment while the tapes carried by the other sleeve project outwardly therefrom. The rear sections have their rear or free side edges out to follow an arc, therefore the rear sections have diagonally extending upper v portions which are shown clearly in Figure 9,

p and referring to this figure it will be seen that back of a patient wearing the garment.

provide the garment with a rear opening?! Textending vertically of the garment between the flaps and the lower end of the garment. At their upper ends the rear sections have their edges out to provide arcuate portions and straight portions, the arcuate portions constituting sectors of theneck opening. The straight out portions of the upper end edges of the rear sections are of approximately the same length as the seams n and" at their ends are sewed tapes which are tied-- to the tapes 2'! with bow knots in order to securely but relea-sably hold the flaps '28 in smooth fitting overlapped relation to each other. Since the tapes are at opposite sides ofthe neck opening and spaced from each other longitudinally of the shoulders an attendant or the patient may easily tie the tapes together when thegarment is put on, and this location of the tapes so disposed them that a person will not lie upon the knotted tapes. It should also be noted that since the garment is open along the back the portion of the garment below the overlapped flaps 28' will be free and it will not be pulled transversely or vertically by a patient sitting or lying upon the lower portions of the back sections. provides a garment permitting bed service to be easily accomplished and eliminates stains. The pocket 3| provided at the front of the garment is to receive a handkerchief and if so desired the garment may be ornamented in order to add to its attractiveness and thus build up the morale of the patient.

The sleeves 23 have the arm pit portionsof their upper ends free from the front and rear sections; and thus provide openings 32 which permit freemovements of the arms without exerting strains which would retard movements of a person's arms and also cause the sleeves to be torn across the arm pits. Inserts 33 formed from sheetsof .iabric serve as closures for the openings 32 and since each consists of a single layer of .fabric th'eywill be of light weight and not liable to cause perspiration in the arm pits. The inserts or sheets have their outer or upper endssewed to the front and rear sections aboutlower portions of the arm holes but their lower ends are free. Side edges of the inserts are sewed to opposite side portions of the sleeves so that while under portions of This also i 6. the gamut. -sleem 4a are sewed into the arm holes and at their'lower' ends are provided with cufis 44*carryihg tapes 44 for tieing the cuffs snugly "about a person's wrists. Lower portions of the rear "sections "have their free rear side edges spaced from each other to form a rather wide opening "45. which extends longitudinally or vertically ot the garment an appreciable distance andthus allows 'a' person to recline in bed and malt inn-wheelchair without the rear sections becoming caught under the patient and strains upper ends of the sleeves may have movements longitudinally of the inserts during raising and lowering of a persons arms, the inserts will have a tendency to return to a position within the sleeves and not slide outwardly and gather outwardly of the sleeves. The sleeves will thus remain comfortable. Narrow bindings or cuffs 34 extend about lower ends of the sleeves with their ends terminating at opposite sides of the longitudinally extending slits 35 and from the culls extend tapes 36 by means of which the sleeves may be tied about a person's wrists and prevented from riding upwardly along the arms.

Another modified form of bed garment has been shown in Figures 13 and 14. This garment is also intended for use by ladies and has a front section 31 and rear sections 38 sewed along their front side edges to side edges of the front section between arm holes 39 of the garment and the lower edge of the garment. The upper ends of the rear sections are sewed to the front section between the arm holes and opposite sides of the neck opening 40 by shoulder seams 4| and at inner and outer ends of the shoulder seams are tapes 42, the tapes of one shoulder seam extending inwardly of the garment and the tapes of the other shoulder seam extending outwardly of longitudinally or transversely which would be liable'itotear the garment and prevent free move- ""i-nents. rear opening also allows bed service, life to be convenientlycarried out and eliminates stains. The upper portionsof the rear sections sections fit smoothly against each other at their .jupper ends and have arcuate edge portions forming the rear portion of th'eneck opening and:

straight out edge portions which correspond in :jlength to the shoulder seams 4| and at their inner and outer ends carry tapes which are gztied 'to'th'e tapes 42 in ord'er to securely but rele'asably hold the flaps overlapped. Since the tapes are at ends of the shoulder seams they maybe easily tied by the patient wearing the gar-'- ihent or-by a nurse and this location oithe tapes als'o'prevents a person wearing the garment from lying against the knotted tapes. A pocket 48 provided at 'thefro'nt of the gzalrment to hold andkerchlef and there has also been provided aiiyokelil and crimps 50 along the lower edge of the yoke as ornamentation for the garment.

n all embodiments of the invention illustrated and described the rearsections have lower portions spaced Irom-each other toprovide a longi tudinally extending rear opening between free side edges ofthe sections, and upper portions of the rearisectionsare widened to "form s-ubstantijally triangular extensions or flaps which are overlappedacrossa 'persons shoulders and secured by tapes located adjacent inner and outer ends of shoulder seams of the garment between the; neck opening and upper ends of the sleeves of the garment or for patients able to help themselves, may be inserted in shoulder seams.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A garment comprising a body having a front section and rear sections seamed along their front side edges to side edges of the front section, the body having arm holes and a neck opening, the rear sections having upper ends connected with the front section by shoulder seams between the neck openings and the arm holes, lower portions of the rear edges of the rear sections being spaced from each other when a patient is seated or in a reclining position to provide the garment with a rear opening extending from its lower end for a portion of its length and upper porthe garment, and tapes at upper edges of the side extensions of the rear sections tied to the tapes extending from the shoulder seams and -releas-, ably holding the said extensions overlapped and leaving the rear portion of the garment free of obstructions.

2. A garment comprising ajbody having a front section and rear sections connected with the front section by side seams and shoulder seams and together with the front section defining a neck opening and arm holes, said rear sections having rear sideedges free from each .other to provide a rear opening along the back of the garment and having their upper portions of increased width to provide substantially triangular extensions disposed in smooth overlapping relation to each other across. shoulder portions of the back of the garment, and tapessecured in the shoulder seams and along upper edges of the said extensions and when tied together holdin the widened upper portions of the rear sections overlapped across shoulder portions of the garment. 3. A garment comprising a front section, rear sections seamed along front side-edges .t.ojside1--* edges of the front section, portions of the front and rear sections being cut to form a neck opening and arm openings, the rear sections having their rear edges free from each other and upper portions thereof cut diagonally along a bias to H provide the rear sections with laterally extending substantially triangular extensions disposed in overlapped relation to each other below the neck opening and extending across shoulder portions of the garment with their upper edges extending along lines between opposite sides ofthe neck opening and upper ends of the arm holes, the tapes at one side of the neck opening extending outwardly from the garment and the tapes at the other side of the neck opening extending inwardly of the garment, and tapes extending from upper endedges of the extensions of the rearsections and tied to companion ones of the tapes at opposite sides of the neck opening to releasably secure the rear sections overlapped.

4. A garment comprising a front section, rear sections sewed along their front side edgesto op posite side-edges of the front section, said rear sections having their rear side edges free and their lower portions spaced from each other to provide the garment with a rear opening, portions of the front and rear sections being cut to form a neck opening and arm holes, the front section having edges at its upper end extending along shoulders of the garment between opposite sides of the neck opening and upper ends of the arm holes, upper portions of the rear sections being widened to form side extensions disposed in overlapped relation to each other and each widened upper portion extending across shoulder portions of the back of the garment from one arm hole to the other arm hole and between one side of the neckopening and the adjacent arm hole having the upper edge extending along the said upper edge of the front section between the neck opening and the arm hole, and fastener members .20

. of the rear sections and adapted to be detachably connected with the fastener members of the front section for releasably securing the widened upper portions of the rear sections overlapped across the shoulder portions of the garment for the full distance between the arm holes.

' ELLEN K. DOUGHTY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,218,307 Page Mar. 6, 1917 1,690,138 'Sladek -s Nov. 6, 1928 2,012,206 Swint Aug. 20, 1935 2,225,126 Nasher Dec. 17, 1940 2,319,089 Severance May 11, 1943 2,336,008 Goodman Dec. 7, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date France Aug. 29, 1924 

